Share this with

A British nurse who survived Ebola has called the new Band Aid single ‘cringeworthy’, saying the lyrics display ‘cultural ignorance’.

William Pooley has gone back to work at an isolation unit in Sierra Leone after recovering from the disease, and says the reworked version of Do They Know It’s Christmas is ‘definitely being talked about here’.

He criticised the updated lyrics, which include: ‘Where a kiss of love can kill you and there’s death in every tear’ and ‘No peace and joy this Christmas in West Africa/ The only hope they’ll have is being alive’.

Pooley was also critical of the lyrics, telling Radio Times: ‘It’s just like, actually people live normal lives here and do normal things.

Advertisement

Advertisement

‘It’s Africa, not another planet. That sort of cultural ignorance is a bit cringeworthy. There’s a lyric about “death in every tear”. It’s just a bit much.’

When asked if he had a message for people back home in Britain, he said: ‘I would say that it’s a good idea to read as much as you can about what’s going on in West Africa, and if you feel so inclined then donate some money to one of the charities, like King’s, that are working out here, directly caring for Ebola patients.’

The nurse also said that money coming in from governments was ‘filtering through at a glacial pace’.

He added: ‘Governments pledged money months ago… I don’t know whether it’s working. I’m sure it’s better to donate than not, but it’s just a shame it gets tied up in lots of bureaucracy.’